UPDATED -- Quick Pickled Wild Leeks (Ramps)

April 2012 


SmartCooks here.  


From my Saturday afternoon of foraging in the woods for wild leeks, I made what I'm calling Quick Pickled Wild Leeks (Ramps).  


These jars join two other ramp concoctions in the fridge, i.e., 
i) wild leek pesto (6 small batches in the fridge and freezer!); and 
ii) green kimchi (fermenting in the fridge).


Recipes for the first two have been posted separately.  Even though the ramp bulbs are a little on the small, early side, I got two nice jars of pickles out of them. 


Substitutions for Lovage and Other Ingredients I Couldn't Find Locally 


The best recipe I found was from Hungry Tigress, who writes from her farm home in the Berkshires somewhere.  I adapted the recipe a bit because she really goes local for ingredients and I simply wouldn't easily find some of them easily.  I went with her suggestions for substitutions.


For example, she uses the herb 'lovage' (picture left) in the recipe and, well, I haven't seen it in my shopping travels locally so I substituted two ingredients found much more easily -- celery leaves and flat parsley.  


Quick research shows that lovage is a very old herb with a unique flavour of anise and celery.  It can be used as a salt substitute and is flavourful in soups, stews, anything tomato-y.  Plus, every part of the plant is edible.  However I no did find.,,,,  

The other ingredient that helps cut down on the amount of sugar is maple syrup.  The Tigress used one made by her neighbour that looks more like a light-coloured maple honey.  I'm quite happy with my Gatineau, darker coloured maple syrup so that's why jar (up top) looks darker than hers. (Picture right AND her ramps are also more mature.) 


Finally, Tigress suggests using raw sugar.  Gotta do some research on all the various types of sugar available and which one(s) to use, where and why.  The usual rule for me is to use as little as possible; beyond that, I'm lost on refined, unrefined, and all the rest of it.  There's no doubt that raw sugar is better because it is unrefined and contains more nutrients than the 'refined white death'.  Anyway, I didn't have any so substituted regular old sugar -- 1/4 cup didn't seem too excessive and it is necessary to help cure the pickles.  


These pickles are quick, easy to make and last up to 3 months in the refrigerator.  Not a hope they'll last that long.... 


UPDATED Note:  The first two batches I made were fabulous and I used a combo of celery and flat parsley.  I couldn't find raw sugar so just substituted white sugar and I found the pickles quite sweet.  Through further research, it seems raw sugar is not readily sold in Canada -- doesn't meet our healthy/hygiene guidelines.  So I substituted light brown sugar (could have been dark brown sugar) and I found the taste of the next batches much improved.  So, I've updated the recipe to reflect this.  The pickles are just yummmmm.... unlike any store-bought ones and very easy to make!!!!   


Recipe for Quick Pickled Ramps (Wild Leeks)

Ingredients: 

2 lbs ramps, greens removed (use greens for pesto or kimchi!)
3 cups white wine vinegar
2 cups water
1 T salt
1/4 cup raw sugar (ideally)*** or light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 & 1/2 tsp whole allspice
2 tsp white pepper
1 small bunch whole lovage leaves, about 1/4 cup, or combo of celery leaves and flat parsley
2 quart mason jars and lids


**** In researching, I discovered raw sugar is not sold here in Canada because it does not meet Canadian standards for health and hygiene.  Suggestions are to substitute light or dark brown sugar.

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except the lovage (or celery`parsley mixture) and the wild leeks (ramps) to a medium-sized sauce pan and bring to the boil.

2. Once boiling, add the clean and greened ramps, bring back to the boil and let boil for 1 minute. Take off heat and let cool.

3. Add lovage leaves (celery/parsley) evenly to the quart jars. Fill jars with cooled ramps and liquid.

4. Place in refrigerator to cure for 5 days.

Enjoy! 

Wild Leek Greens Kimchi Recipe

April 22, 2012


SmartCooks here.  


Kimchi made with the greens of the wild leeks (ramps) -- that's what hit me as I looked over my carefully dug, cut, and preserved stash of early harvest wild leeks (ramps) sitting cleaned and drying on my kitchen island.  It was clear I had an overabundance of green leaves and not as many bulbs.  Not a problem..... 

The inspiration for kimchi is from one of my favourite foodie sites -- Hungry Tigress.  The Tigress used to write two blogs -- Tigress in a Pickle and Tigress in a Jam but combined them to one mega-site.  She's primarily a Canner (not me) but I'd tried some of her other posts like pumpkin muffins. The kimchi recipe seemed very straightforward so I decided to give it a whirl and do up a few jars.  


Kimchi (or kimchee)

First, a little about Kimchi, which I tried for the first time about a year ago ... travel or eat out much? ... not. 

Kimchi is well known in Korea where it was served for centuries at almost every meal. It was especially popular as a food to eat in the cold winters because of its high content of vitamins and minerals.


It is now mainly a condiment (or banchan) for rice and noodles.  There are hundreds of recipes for kimchi that vary by region and taste.  There's are also annual Kimchi Festivals with displays of regional dishes in clay pots (pictured left from a Korean website). 

Basically, kimchi is made from fermented raw vegetables, ranging from napa cabbage, daikon radish, wild leek leaves, to eggplant, scallions, and cucumber.  The taste varies widely, from pungent (the traditional pickled napa cabbage), spicy and hot (due to the red chili peppers), sour (from the fermentation process), sweet (from the pickling) to milder.  Buddhist monks, for example, make a mild version that does not use strong flavoured condiments or vegetables, opting instead for herbs, pine nuts, wild sesame, peanuts, pumpkin etc. 


The secret to the taste comes from the softened texture of the vegetables produced by salting.  Traditional kimchi recipes include seafood and fish sauce; vegetarians leave this out.  I prefer vegetarian versions.  I also prefer recipes that are more seasonal i.e., don't need to ferment for weeks and weeks.  

Kimchi is very healthy, with some studies showing it is one of the healthiest foods in the world; one serving can give more than 50% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C and carotene, and is packed full of antioxidants, thought to prevent cancer and other diseases. Kimchi is low calorie and low sugar but with high amounts of fibre (Tigress shows a plate of kimchi.)  


Wild Leek Greens Kimchi Recipe 
(Hungry Tigress inspired.) 


Ingredients:


1 bunch of wild leeks greens, cleaned, dried (enough for 1 gallon jar or 2 quart mason jars) 

1 T sea salt
1 tsp sugar
2 T aleppo pepper (or korean chile, or 1/2 cayenne & 1/2 sweet paprika)
1 T minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Directions:

1. Slice the wild leek greens in 1 inch sections by stacking the leaves on top of each other. 


2. Place greens in a bowl, add all other ingredients except the soy sauce and the sesame oil.  Toss to distribute evenly.


3. Stir soy sauce and sesame oil together and then add to greens.  Stir.

4. Put into the jar(s), let sit at room temperature overnight.  Place in the fridge. Every day or two give the jar(s) a shake or mix the kimchi with a spoon.  As it goes through the fermenting process the top greens should go down to the bottom. 


5.  The kimchi will be ready in about one week when the smell becomes mouth-watering.  Wild leek kimchi will last for months in the fridge.

SmartCooks Digs Ramps (Wild Leeks) Pesto, Lemon Zest

April 21, 2012


SmartCooks here.  

Wild leeks (ramps) are in the house and pesto is first up after an afternoon of digging and odd reconnections.  Here's the story.


Unexpected Reconnections 


In March I was surfing around websites for farms in Eastern Ontario that might have the early spring produce like wild leeks, asparagus, and morel mushrooms. I found Oasis Organics Farm and e-mailed my query.  The farm replied late this week to say the wild leeks were up.  


So today (Saturday), Husband set the GPS and off we went along the back roads of North Gower.  My first shock of the day occurred as we drove; we totally expected to drive by an ATM along the way so I could get some cash.  Wrong.  It's way more rural outside the concrete Ottawa jungle than I remember.  Instead, we had to overshoot the Farm and continue another 20 km into Smith's Falls to a CIBC machine and then backtrack.  Silly city slickers R Us.  


The second shock of the day occurred when it turned out the woman at the Farm recognized my name from working together as 'secretaries' in the Psychology Department at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, in 1977.  I was working there because I had taken a year off between my second and third years of university to recover from surgery and to make some money.  I do remember another 'secretary' doing the same thing. I left London before she did and moved back to Ottawa.  When she arrived in Ottawa, she contacted me and crashed with a roommate and I for a few days and then moved on.  I have a vague recollection of this.  

I never saw her again until, 35 years later, trekking through her 200-acre property in the rain to dig up wild leeks.  Odder yet, she works for the federal government, in communications, which is also my field, and at a Department I know well.  Ain't life a brook...


First there were wild leek patches, then islands and mini-carpets. They may be tiny in size but they have a powerful flavour -- somewhere between an onion and garlic or leek, but milder.  We picked carefully for conservation purposes.  I left soggy, satisfied and still bemused by chance encounters.  
Wild Leek Pesto 


There's are many ways to make wild leek pesto (check out Closet Cooking, My New Roots, and Food 52).  I saw recipes using raw or toasted almonds, pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts.  Some recipes used just the green leaves; others added root bulbs.  Still others mixed  basil with the ramp leaves. Oils used ranged from olive, canola to sunflower.  Still others recommend blanching the ramp leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds to make the leaves more bright and vibrant.  So, basically, no rules...


I chose a recipe that showcased the taste of the wild leek leaves and is super easy (below).  I then mixed the pesto with Thai rice noodles, added some sautéed vegeys (peppers, turnips, watermelon radish ...alas no fresh local asparagus yet), and topped it with a sprinkle of  freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  I could have used quinoa or any other grain in place of the noodles of course.  


Wild Leek Pesto is completely versatile.  It can be kept in the fridge for a few weeks, frozen for a few months and used on any number of dishes, including topping for fresh pizza.  All to say, experiment and use what moves you in the moment.... 


I totally dug it... maybe because I helped dig it fresh! 


Wild Leek Pesto, with Lemon Zest
(aka The Saturday night meal to watch the Senators win AGAIN!!!!!)  


Ingredients:


1 cup of wild leek (ramp) leaves (can throw in a few root bulbs, if desired) 
3 T olive oil (canola or safflower are options) 
1 T lemon zest 
1/4 cup raw almonds, toasted (or pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts) 
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus some for sprinkling) 
Fresh salt and pepper 


Directions:


Toast almonds, (or pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts) in frying pan for a couple of minutes.  Watch carefully that they brown, not burn.


Put other ingredients in a food processor and blend.  You can also add a bit of pasta water, if desired.  


Toss with hot pasta or quinoa or whatever grain you are using.  Add in anything else (e.g., vegeys) and sprinkle some Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.  


Enjoy.

SmartCooks Discovers Spicy Mung Beans are Hot, Hot, Hot

April 2012 SmartCooks here. I grew up without discovering the unique properties of a whole range of legumes.  So.... never too late....  I did my homework, sought out what I wanted, tested a few recipes, and discovered the true taste of mung beans, a staple commonly used in many cuisines in Southeast Asia and India.  About Mung Beans  Mung beans can be used one of three ways, at left in order:    - either whole (green colour), the  - common hulled or split beans (light yellow); and  - sprouted, which are delicious in salads.  Legumes like mung beans are an essential part of a vegetarian diet, filled with protein, vitamins and nutrients and packed with fiber.  Soaking them overnight makes them easily digestible; split beans are easiest on the digestion.   Funny factoid.  When I googled nutritional properties of mung beans, the first article I got was a U.S. Department of Agriculture study from 1927, which concluded very succinctly:  "The indications are that the mung is a superior type of bean from a nutritional standpoint, but not adequate as a sole source of protein."  Studies to this day are consistent with that one.  So .... as part of a balanced meal plan, I'm there. Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen website/blog   I found the perfect recipe for Spicy Mung Beans on a website written by a food blogger based in London, Ontario (my hometown!).  She calls herself a 'veteran vegetarian' for 22 years who cooks vegetarian dishes from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes.  I've cooked 3 or 4 of her creations now and they're all fabulous.  Spicy Mung Beans was particularly tasty, although, warning, I used only 2 jalapeños (not 3-4 as suggested in the recipe) and found it plenty hot enough!  The other variation I made to the recipe was to use split mung beans (not whole) as they are easier to cook and digest. I found split mung beans at Loblaws! (... rant for electronic directories in supermarkets goes here... ). I used the same cooking times as she recommends and did several taste tests to ensure I wasn't overcooking the beans.   Pre-soaking the Beans I'm not a big fan of a lot of advance prep work for recipes, mostly because usually I get home from work and then decide what's for dinner. The later it is, the more haphazard the dinner (and bad choices result). But, given I've had more time for myself in recent months (hence, the blog), I've done more advance planning on meals. Prep work for mung beans is essential but super easy.  Basically measure out 1 cup of beans, rinse well under cold running water for several minutes, place in a pot or bowl, cover with lots of water and soak a minimum of 6 hours or overnight until dinner the next night. That I can do. Note that the beans more than double in bulk after soaking. A cup of split beans gave me 3 meals. Ghee: The recipe calls for using a mixture of either butter and oil (easy) or ghee, also known as clarified butter, an ingredient found in many MIddle Eastern recipes.  It is easily found in Loblaws (not with the Butter of course... rant for an electronic directory yet again ... )  OR, you can make your own on a weekend as it keeps well in the fridge for 3 months or so. Cheaper...  There are many ghee recipes but what I did was take 1 pound of unsalted butter, put in a pot, and heat it on medium on the stove.  Allow the butter to melt, stirring constantly.  The oil will separate and top will begin to froth.  Remove the froth.  Keep cooking to allow oil to become clear, then remove from heat and let it cool (about 15 minutes).  When cool, strain it through a strainer with cheesecloth or a kitchen towel right into a jar or other container.  Done.  Easy.   Recipe for Spicy Mung Beans  Ingredients:  1 cup whole (or split) dry mung beans 2 tsp ghee (or a combination of butter and oil) 1 tsp cumin seeds 1-2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp cayenne 1/2 T ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1 medium onion, finely sliced 1-inch piece of ginger, grated or finely chopped 3-4 jalapeños green chilies, finely chopped (I only used 2 jalapeños, plenty hot enough!) 1 large tomato, diced (or little ones... your choice) 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste Fresh ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (I'm a fan of both so mixed 'em up) Instructions: Rinse the split or whole mung beans under cold running water and place in a bowl. Cover with several inches of cold water and soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse, and set aside.  Heat the ghee or butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and stir and fry for a minute or two. Next add the ground spices, stir for about 15 seconds, and then add the onion, ginger and green chillies to the pan. Fry until the onion wilts and begins to brown.  Add the mung beans and and 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot.  Bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered until the beans are just tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add more water if necessary just to keep the beans covered. (I definitely needed to add more.)  Now add the tomato, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the beans are soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Taste for seasoning, then stir in the parsley near the end of the cooking time. Serve hot with fresh cooked brown rice.

Herbivoracious Leek Fritters, with Asian-Style Cabbage and Greek Yogurt

April 2012

SmartCooks here.  

So, my quest for fresh, new tastes turned up a vegetarian dish called 'Kouftikes de Prasa Salad' or, basically 'Leek Fritters with Asian-style Cabbage and Greek Yogurt topping'.  


It's a signature dish from a forthcoming recipe book called Herbivoracious:  A Flavour Revolution, to be released May 8, 2012.  I cooked it this week and 'twas fabulous.  

Herbivoracious website (Cool name eh?)


Herbivoracious is my go-to fav site for inspiration for global flavour combinations.  The author -- Michael Natkin -- is a 30ies something looking guy who took up cooking at age 18 when his mother was dying from breast cancer. 


She turned to a macrobiotic diet to try and combat the cancer; Michael took up cooking for her and said he has never looked back.  He gravitated to Zen Buddhist style cuisine while working at a farm kitchen in California and then interned at various restaurants in New York and Seattle. He started the Herbivoracious blog in 2007.








Kouftikes de Prasa 

A kofta is a little meatball or patty but made vegetarian by using leeks, breadcrumbs and eggs. It is dressed up by adding a spicy cabbage, made with preserved lemons and harissa.  The recipe suggests putting it on pita bread for a sandwich.  Instead, I put it on a plate as a delightful entree.  Tofu or meat can of course be added on the side depending on your appetite.  


Preserved Lemons are first! 


This dish calls for preserved lemons, a Moroccan condiment. If you're in a hurry (and I frequently am), just use thinly sliced fresh lemons instead.  It was still great.  But on weekend time, I looked around for the best (read easiest/fastest) preserved lemon recipe and found that the traditional style of doing preserved lemons would see the lemons taking weeks to ferment properly (not for me).  So, instead, I opted for doing it this way (see below):

Recipe for Preserved Lemons 

Ingredients:
6 thin-skinned lemons, washed, trimmed at both ends, and cut lengthwise into six chunks 
6 T coarse salt
About 1 cup fresh lemon juice


Directions:
Heat oven to 200 degrees F.  In a baking dish just large enough to hold the lemons, toss lemons with coarse salt and pour enough of the lemon juice over them to just cover them.  Bake, covered, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.  Let lemons cool and transfer them (plus juice) into a mason jar.  They keep, covered and chilled, indefinitely.


Sumac and Harissa







The recipe also calls for two ingredients I did not have -- sumac and harissa. Wonders never cease but I found both at Loblaws.  


The sumac was not with the spices of course or even near the spice aisle but somewhere between the Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine sections.  Harissa was similarly difficult to find.  


(Small rant:  Why? can't supermarkets install searchable directories for customers to find products? It can't be difficult to do.) 


Sumac has a lemony flavour so it's perfect for this and Middle Eastern and Arab cuisine, e.g., hummus, salad and kebabs.  It's found in za'atar which I've talked about before in the blog.  It would be a great spice dye for colouring Easter eggs naturally as I noticed friends do in Facebook postings.  

I bought harissa in a tube instead of a can as most recipes only call for a little bit at a time.  Harissa is strong, with chilies, garlic, cumin and caraway; substitutes include Sriracha  (rooster juice) or a Thai chili-garlic sauce.


Recipe for Kouftikes de Prasa 
Herbivoracious style
(Makes 4 servings)


Make cabbage first as refrigerating it for 2 hours helps meld flavours together (personal experience... (not the end of the world if it's not 2 hours).  When ready to cook, ensure all the ingredients are cut up and spread around you as cooking time is fast.


Ingredients:


For the Spicy Cabbage:  
2 cups finely shredded red cabbage (in a pinch, save the shredding grief and buy a bag of already shredded green and red cabbage) 
½ teaspoon Kosher salt 
¼ cup white vinegar 
½ preserved lemon, finely chopped (or just a thin sliced lemon) 
2 teaspoons harissa or Thai-style chile sauce (such as Sriracha)

For the Leek Patties:  
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only (about 12 ounces)
2 T olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (Make yourself (I didn't) so use Panko if you can)
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp Aleppo pepper or cayenne
Pinch cinnamon
Vegetable oil for shallow cooking
Flaky sea salt


To finish: 
4 pita breads, lightly toasted or grilled (optional, can leave out if using an entree) 
20 thin half-moons of cucumber 
½ cup thick Greek yogurt 
Sumac 
Handful mint (or cilantro) leaves, torn 


Directions:


For the spicy cabbage:  Thoroughly toss together all ingredients and refrigerate for at least two hours (the day before is fine too). Allow to return to room temperature before serving.


For the leek patties:  Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and then into ¼” half-circles. Wash thoroughly.  In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the leeks until tender and starting to shrivel, about 5 minutes.  In a bowl, thoroughly mix the cooked leeks, salt, eggs, breadcrumbs, cumin powder, Aleppo pepper or cayenne, and cinnamon.


Put about 1/8” of vegetable oil in the skillet and set the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter in with a quarter-cup measure and use the back of the cup to smooth each patty into a circle about 4” in diameter. Make 8 patties total, which will require two batches. Cook each patty until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels and season with the flaky sea salt.


To finish:  Place two leek patties on a plate or atop a pita. Top with a handful of the spicy red cabbage, 5 cucumber slices, and 2 T of the Greek yogurt. Sprinkle a little sumac on the yogurt, and scatter a few mint leaves over the whole sandwich. Serve immediately.

SmartCooks with a Malaysian-style Chicken with Lemongrass and Garlic

April 2012


SmartCooks here.


Another fabulous chicken recipe.   This week's delight was to e-travel the globe and try a Malaysian-Style Chicken with Lemongrass and Garlic.  I found an immensely popular chicken recipe from Wong's Restaurant in New York.  Tasting Table, tested it,  adapted it a bit more and, voila, the result was delicious.  Dinner and a Movie (The Daniel Craig/Rooney Mara version of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Gotta watch both versions.... totally worth it.)  


First, SmartCooks Chicken R Us Roundup


I seem to alternate postings between chicken and vegetarian recipes.  Time for a round-up of the chicken dishes I've posted so far in previous SmartCooks blogs and in the first Christmas edition of SmartCooks Book.  I've posted more than half a dozen chicken dishes in the past six months, ranging from 


- Lemon Chicken (China, pictured left)
- Chicken Katsu (Japan)
- Ginger-Marinated Bulgogi-Style Chicken (Korea) 
- Djej Besla Chicken with Onions and Olives (Morocco) 
- Kai Yang Grilled Chicken (Thailand) and 
- Chicken, Cashews and White Curry (Sri Lanka).  


And now to add to the list...  
- Malaysian-style Chicken with Lemongrass and Garlic.  




Endless variations are possible with all dishes and all are keepers for the long term.  


Malaysian-Style Chicken


I always find interesting factoids when I work on a recipe.  The purists like Wong's Restaurant in New York would cook this dish using only a premium brand of meat called 'Bobo Poultry'. Bobo is only just being discovered in the Western world but is a staple for many Chinese Buddhists and Asian families dating back to Ancient Rome days. 


Bobo roughly translates from Chinese as 'precious'.  A perfect whole chicken, including the head and feet, without markings and bruises is said to bring good fortune to a family and their ancestors.  The dark meat is considered the best.  BoBo Poultry brand is heavily supplied to Asian restaurants throughout the U.S.  


But my style of cooking chicken is all about NOT dealing with head, feet and other issues like feathers (but I so remember my mother burning off the feathers before cooking a chicken bought at the door from the egg lady whereas I (.... here it comes .... ) 'chicken out' at the thought.  I prefer organic, skinless chicken breasts.)  And the dish was flavourful to the max to that's what I'm going for in this recipe.  But, hey, always open to learning.... 

Preparation is key for this dish 


This is a fairly easy, fast recipe but pre-chopping the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, and ginger is a must-do because there's only about 30 seconds between the addition ingredient.  


The staple for this recipe is my favourite -- lemongrass (pictured left) -- and it calls for a lot so I did to maximize the lemony flavour and aroma.  To prevent crunching any bits of stringy lemongrass from the stalks, I ground it well in the food processor. I also used the last of the garlic purchased from the Carp Garlic Festival last year (can't wait for this year's crop...)




Recipe for Malaysian-Style Chicken with Lemongrass and Garlic 
(For 4 people, adapted from the Tasting Table)


Ingredients:


For the Marinade:
1/2 cup canola oil
4 stalks (or more) lemongrass, tough outer layer removed and stalk finely chopped 
16 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
4 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 T sambal oelek (chili paste)
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 T sugar
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp kosher salt


For the Chicken:
4 6-ounce chicken breasts (can be bone in out, organic, skinless... on special or whatever... you know my preference)
1 tsp kosher salt


Directions:

Make the marinade first:   Line up all your pre-prepped, chopped-up ingredients near your cooking grill.  In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil.  Add, in order, the lemongrass and cook, stirring for 30 seconds, then the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in the shallots. Cook the shallots for 30 seconds and then stir in the ginger. Once the ginger is fragrant, after about 30 seconds, stir in the turmeric and cook for 30 seconds. Mix in the sambal oelek (chili paste), cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the coconut milk, sugar, lime juice and salt.  Turn off the heat and let the marinade cool (the oil will separate from the solids).

Once cooled, over a large bowl, pour the marinade through a fine-mesh strainer.  You will have about half a cup of liquid in the bowl.  In a separate bowl, scrape the spice paste from the strainer into another small bowl and set aside (if marinating overnight, cover the spice paste with plastic wrap and refrigerate). 


Then the chicken:  Season the chicken breasts with 1 tsp of the kosher salt and then add to the marinade, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.  (I found 1 hour was just fine...)  Preheat the oven to 400° F. Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the skillet, skin-side down. Cook until the skin is browned, about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat and spread the reserved spice paste over the top of each piece of chicken.  Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes longer.  


Enjoy! 

Spring is Sprung with a Frittata with Wild Leeks, Morel Mushrooms and Asparagus

March 2012

SmartCooks here. 

I'm craving Spring vegetables.  On the foodblogs I surf, those in the northern US and southern Ontario are posting pictures of early produce -- asparagus, mushrooms (even some morels), fiddleheads and leeks, including my absolute favourite 'wild leeks' or 'ramps'.  Alas, no sign of much springly activity yet here in Ottawa although I'm planning to really check around this weekend.

I'm ready with with a few recipes that I tried last year and plan to do again this year.  The first one is for a locally grown (Wild) Leek, (Morel) Mushroom and Asparagus Frittata.  There's an option of turning the Frittata into a Quiche by adding a brown rice crust.  Closet Cooking did a version with picture (left).  

On a 'Ramp-age!'   

I'm on the lookout for 'wild leeks' or 'ramps' in the Byward Market. I only found them for the first time at a stall there last year (with an 'ouch' price to boot)!  

One food blogger described the taste as 'fried green onions with a dash of funky feet' (hmm... personally, I was impressed with the flavour -- a taste between a little green onion and a mild garlic -- and they add oomph to recipes and stir frys.  Both the white and green parts are edible.  American Native folklore is that it that they are a spring tonic designed to throw off the ailments of winter! (Bring 'em on).    

'The word 'Ramps' is a throw-back to an old English version of the name 'ramson'.  It's still possible to find annual 'Ramp fests' in the U.S. in April and early May (e.g,. 'Ramp it Up', 'Stinkfest', 'Ramson Festival' and 'Ramps:  the Hillbilly Bouquet of Love', where upwards of 30,000 people have attended, including gospel, country and bluegrass music luminaries such as Tennessee Ernie Ford, Minnie Pearl and Brenda Lee... (way to get Husband to go!).  Great food cook-offs and recipe swaps occur at the Festivals (e.g., of a list of recipes). 

Now that I've 'ramp-ed' myself up for a mission to find 'em, a word of caution.  Ramps are a delicacy in Canada due to over-cultivation.  In Quebec, they are a 'threatened species' and listed as a 'special concern' in U.S. States like Maine and Tennessee.  So check where you are buying them from -- if you find them!

The Great Morel Mushroom

There's a lot of dedicated 'shroomers (some would say fanatics) who obsess over hunting out the honeycombed topped first 'morels', including those reading The Great Morel website. 


I read it as well. The 'morel' of the story (groan) is to leave the foraging of all things wild to the experts.  Especially mushrooms.  Personally, I am content to buy morels from a certified vendor or find the dried variety.


So, why are morel mushrooms so prized? If website bumpf is to be believed, they are seemingly magical ... heart-healthy because of high levels of vitamin E and potassium, cancer prevention, and ideal for weight management being low in fat and colories yet high in vitamins and nutrients!  Phew.  Call me convinced!  Personally, I cook 'em for the Taste -- rich, earthy, creamy.  So will see how I do in tracking them down.  


Spring Asparagus 

Thin, delicate bundles of spring asparagus -- the essence of spring itself.  Its arrival on the table officially heralds the arrival of spring.  Food blogs like Food 52 feature it as 'Vegetable of the Week' with tips for cooking it any way that suits you -- raw, shaved, blanched, steamed, broiled, pickled, grilled or sautéed.  


My personal favourite is shaved asparagus with fennel and radish, dressed in a lemon vinaigrette.  

Final note.... if hunting out spring's bounty is not for you, the Frittata can be made with regular leeks, mushrooms and asparagus. It turns out just fine. But, why not ramp up the taste to the next level as either a Frittata or a Quiche (recipe with brown rice pie crust quiche option below.) 


Enjoy spring! 

(Wild) Leek, (Morel) Mushrooms and Asparagus Frittata

Ingredients:

2 T extra-virgin olive oil (or organic unsalted butter)
1 cup chopped wild leeks (if wild, use both white and green parts; if regular leeks, use white/light green parts only)
1⁄2 bunch (about 6 oz) thin asparagus tips
1 cup fresh morel mushrooms, sliced (if no morels, use a mix of button, cremini, and shiitake)
1 garlic clove, minced
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper
4 large eggs
6 egg whites
1 1⁄2 T chopped fresh mint (or other herbs of choice)
1⁄4 cup (about 3⁄4 oz) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Serving suggestions:  fresh mint for garnish and fresh berries 

Directions:

Position oven rack 8 inches from broiler heat source. Preheat broiler.  In an oven-safe, 10-inch nonstick skillet, warm oil over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté for 4 minutes. Stir in garlic. Add asparagus and mushrooms, sprinkle with 1⁄4 tsp salt, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, cheese, mint, 1⁄4 tsp salt, and 1⁄2 tsp black pepper.

Arrange asparagus mixture evenly across the bottom of the skillet. Pour egg mixture over the asparagus mixture. Cook until almost set. Broil until puffed and golden, about 3 minutes or so depending on your broiler.  

Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Run a rubber spatula around the sides of the skillet to loosen frittata. Invert on a plate and let cool for 10 minutes.  Cut into pie-shaped wedges. Garnish with mint. Can serve with fresh berries.   

Option for a Quiche with Brown Rice Pie Crust (also gluten free) 



Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice, grated on the large holes of a box grater.
1 large egg white

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 inch pie pan with cooking spray and set aside.


Mix together, the rice, cheese and egg white. Press mixture over the bottom and sides of the pan.  Bake uncovered, 5 minutes, until edges and bottom just start to turn golden brown.


Cool shell while preparing the frittata/quiche. Pour asparagus mixture in and cook in oven for 35-40 minutes until quiche is set.